And Baby Makes Three
by laurah2215
Summary: Series:These Changes;Story #3


Title: And Baby Makes Three

Title: And Baby Makes Three  
Author: Laura H  
Rating: PG/Teen  
Disclaimer: I'm a poor university student using my creative license.  
Have some mercy.  
Synopsis: CJ goes into labour and her husband isn't there when she  
needs him most.

"You're sure you don't want me to cancel? I could reschedule  
for…" Danny paces in the foyer.

" When? A month from now when we're up all night with a newborn?"  
CJ asks, hands on her swelling hips. The hot July weather , along  
with her over-working hormones, cause her to sweat profusely and  
constantly dab at her forehead with a cool cloth.  
" Danny, go. Talk to your publisher, get this book rolling."

Danny concedes with a sweet smile and stares into his wife's  
eyes. " We'll talk every day. Twice a day!"

"It's three days, we'll survive," CJ deadpans before pulling  
Danny in for one last goodbye kiss.

"Okay, I love you. And you." He places his hand on the spot CJ  
had told him the baby is resting in today. "Call if you need anything.  
Jed and Abbey will take good care of you."

"Get the hell out of here before you miss your flight!" Jed's  
booming voice can be heard from the living room to the left.

"Kay, I'm outta here." With one last kiss, CJ closes the front  
door behind him and retreats into the living room.

"I've got three neighbours willing to stand by if I need  
anything, but apparently that isn't good enough for the Protector," CJ  
complains sarcastically, slumping onto the love seat opposite the  
couch Jed and Abbey are sitting on.

"Oh, honey, he's just worried about you. You should be used to  
that by now, "Jed teases good-naturedly.

To that, CJ rolls her eyes.

Abbey responds comfortingly. "Don't let it bother you, sweetie.  
We're excited to be here and see the house for the first time."

"Yes, it's just wonderful. Can we get the twenty-five cent tour  
of the second floor?" Jed inquires hopefully.

CJ slowly leads Jed and Abbey up the stair -case,(they had  
already seen the den, kitchen, attached guest suite, back patio and  
back-yard) to the second floor. She shows them into the study she and  
Danny share, the main up-stairs bathroom, spare bedroom,  
master-bedroom (and en-suit bathroom) and finally, the nursery next to  
the master-bedroom. The nursery is brightly painted in shades of  
green, purple, pink and yellow and has a "Precious Moments" border  
lining the wall.

Abbey gasps softly and reaches for CJ's hand, her eyes falling on  
the Mahogany crib, chest of drawers, change table, rocking chair and  
toy-chest. "Oh, honey, this is just stunning."

CJ beams. " I love it. Toby and Josh spent a weekend helping  
Danny paint and put the furniture together while Donna, Annabeth and I  
visited the spa and spent a few hours on Rodeo Drive."

"Ah, look Abbey. They put the toy lamb we gave her at the shower  
in the crib." Jed points to the crib with a smile. The toy-chest, crib  
and an over-hanging mesh net are filled to the brim with toys from  
their friends and family.

"Speaking of that, I've got something else for you. I think I'll  
wait til the baby's born, though." Abbey dishes out the bait but  
doesn't divulge any more information.

With a big yawn, CJ leans further into the plush, casual couch in  
the den. She uses one hand to rub her lower back and the other to rub  
circles on the lumpy bulge in her belly that represents her little  
girl's body.

"You okay?" Abbey asks, her voice containing the level of concern  
of a doctor and mother.

CJ rolls her eyes. "She's really active tonight and I'm a little  
sore."

"That's normal," Abbey adds, although it's not necessary.

Jed drapes his arm across Abbey's shoulder. " Hon', we should  
call it a night and let these young ladies get some rest."

"Good idea, Jed. Can I help you with anything before bed?" Abbey  
asks CJ, standing up and collecting their teacups off the coffee table.

CJ stands up and reaches for the mugs in Abbey's hand, her eyes  
telling her guest that she will clean up. "No thanks. But is there  
anything I can get you? There's fresh linen on the bed in the guest  
suite and…"

"We're fine, sweetheart," Abbey assures her, leaning forward and  
cupping CJ's cheeks so she can place a kiss to her forehead. " Have a  
good sleep. Don't hesitate to wake us if you need to."

"G' night, sweetheart. See you in the morning." Jed embraces CJ  
in a hug, although it is difficult because her belly, after eight  
months of pregnancy, has expanded significantly.

Between sweating, tossing and turning to find a comfortable  
position and trying to soothe her nocturnal baby into sleeping and  
giving her a break, CJ only got three hours of consecutive sleep that  
night. It was easier without Danny next to her, who always offered to  
sleep in the guest suite to give her more room in the bed, but she  
still didn't get the amount of sleep she needed.

They were all supposed to go do the tourist stuff in L.A., but  
Abbey cancelled their plans after seeing CJ so exhausted and sore.  
Instead, the three went for a leisurely stroll around the block (with  
a couple Secret Service agents in pursuit) and had lunch at a cafe  
that CJ and Danny frequented. Danny called around four to check in  
with CJ. Abbey and CJ barbequed New York steak while Jed sat in the  
den and consulted with Danny about his autobiography that Danny is in  
the process of getting an advance for.

After dinner, Jed relayed to CJ the work he's been doing for his  
foundation and library and CJ recounted her time in Malawi in April  
implementing the first phase of "Paving the Way to Prosperity"(which  
was basically hiring staff and sending in engineers and advisors to  
estimate the work needing to be done.) Abbey told stories about the  
girls and the grandchildren, hoping to ease CJ's fears about becoming  
a mother. They discussed their former colleagues at the White House  
and what they are all doing today. It had been a long day and CJ was  
experiencing profound back pain. She hid her symptoms from Abbey, not  
wanting to create a fuss. The doctor told her early labour pains were  
normal and warned her to expect them. By nine-thirty, CJ was yawning  
and rubbing her belly-the baby just woke up.

Abbey basically ordered CJ to bed, and she and Jed stayed in the  
den watching the news for another hour before retiring to their  
guestroom.

Shooting back pains wake CJ from a fitful sleep early the next  
morning and cause her to break into a cold sweat. She inhales and  
exhales deeply, trying to relax her muscles and ward off the pain. The  
doctor said she could have half an Advil if the pain was really bad,  
so she decided to waddle to the en-suit bathroom and retrieve the  
bottle of Advil. As she walks, another sharp pain courses through her  
pelvic region. CJ cries out in pain, doubling over and almost falling  
to the floor. She uses the dresser to steady herself and continues  
walking, this time out into the hall. Pausing to lean against the  
railing, CJ looks down on the main floor and calls out for Abbey. She  
calls again, but doesn't receive a response. Her heart beating wildly  
in her chest, CJ stifles the urge to cry and slowly pads down the  
stairs and across the kitchen to knock on the guest room door.  
"Abbey!" she cries desperately.

After a minute, Abbey appears in the doorway, a terry-cloth robe  
covering silk pajamas. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"I don't know," CJ cries, leaning forward so Abbey can embrace  
her in a hug.

"Okay, sweetie, come sit down." Abbey, wrapping an arm around  
CJ's shoulder, pulls her into the room and steers her over to the bed.  
" Jed, get up. CJ needs to lie down."

Grumbling under his breath for being unceremoniously awaken, Jed  
crawls out from under the covers and stands at the side of the bed  
while Abbey examines CJ.

Another cramp rakes CJ's body and she screams softly and reaches  
for Abbey. Abbey holds her close and strokes her hair comfortingly. "  
Okay, we need to get you to the hospital."

"No. Why?" CJ protests, pulling away.

Abbey chuckles lightly and stares into the younger woman's eyes.  
" CJ, you're in labour. You're having a baby!"

CJ's eyes dilate in alarm. "No, no, no, no, no! Danny's in D.C.!"

"Kids have a way of showing up at inopportune times," Jed drawls  
dryly.

Abbey turns back to CJ. "We'll call Danny, he's probably already  
up. Jed, you call CJ's doctor and the hospital and I'll go grab a few  
things CJ will need for the hospital. Come on, honey, you can wait in  
the living room."

Abbey leads CJ to the living room before rushing up stairs  
to grab a couple pairs of comfy clothes, underwear and a toiletry bag  
and throw them in a bag for CJ. Jed throws a pair of khaki pants and a  
t-shirt on and retrieves the hospital number and CJ's obstetrician's  
number off the fridge. He calls and finds out that CJ's doctor is on  
vacation, but the hospital will try paging her. He calls Danny's cell  
and gives the news to the father-to-be, who tries not to panic and  
promises to call the airport and get the nearest flight to L.A. Jed  
goes into the living room, where CJ is sitting desperately trying to  
control her ragged breathing.

" Danny's working on getting out of D.C. Dr. Terry is on  
vacation. The hospital's paging her now," Jed relays, plopping down on  
the couch beside her and taking her hand in his.

CJ's eyes widen and she sighs in disappointment. " This isn't  
happening to me. No, this is just a dream. I'll wake up and a month  
from now I'll go into labour and Danny and Dr. Terry will be there to  
help me deliver this baby."

"The hospital has an excellent on-call doctor that will see you.  
I'm gonna go get the Secret Service to start up the cars." He pecks  
her temple and goes to talk to his agents.

Abbey runs down the stairs with the duffle bag of stuff , hands  
it to CJ and rushes into the guest room to throw on a t-shirt and  
capri pants. She takes CJ by the arm and slowly walks her out to the  
waiting S.U.V.s and helps CJ into a car, which speeds to the hospital.

Abbey sits on the cold, plastic chair in the waiting room ,  
leaning over to help CJ fill out her medical forms as CJ waits  
patiently in a wheelchair for a nurse to take her into a room . Jed  
sits next to his wife and his agents look on, trying to blend into the  
white-washed, sterile walls.

After a few minutes, a young black nurse walks up to them and  
stops and waits politely to be addressed, recognizing the former  
President.

"I can take you to the room now, ma'am." The nurse moves to steer  
CJ's wheelchair down a narrow hall, followed closely by the former  
President and First Lady and their entourage.

"Here we are," the nurse announces, shifting the wheel chair to  
wheel it into a room on the left.

Screaming can be heard coming from the room before CJ is all the  
way past the doorjamb.

"Wait a minute. This isn't a private delivery room?" Abbey stops  
the nurse with a hand.

The sweet-looking younger woman shrugs her shoulders. " It's  
semi-private. Three women share it."

"Oh, no." Jed shakes his head firmly. "No, she's not delivering  
in a room with two other women. You must have a private room?"

"I'll check, sir," the nurse nods and excuses herself.

Abbey pulls CJ out into the hallway, where she lets out a loud  
sigh. "I'm sorry, sweetie."

"Can't anything go right today?" CJ whines, her eyes scanning the  
sterile hall.

A minute later the young black nurse and another red-headed nurse  
retrieve CJ and take her down another hall to a small, but private,  
room. They help her onto the bed and set to work to prep her for  
delivery- setting up a fetal monitor and I.V. After another ten  
minutes, a young dark-haired male doctor enters the room and picks up  
CJ's chart.

"Good morning. My name is Robert Nowak. Dr. Terry is on vacation  
with her family and I'm taking the day-shift for her." The doctors  
flashes his pearly white teeth and extends his hand first to CJ and  
then to Abbey and Jed.

"Okay, let's see here." Dr. Nowak examines the fetal monitor. "  
You're blood pressure is very high. Okay, I need to see how much  
you've dilated." Dr. Nowak starts to move to the end of the bed.  
"Mr…President?" he says awkwardly. "Can you please give us some privacy?"

" Oh, oh, yeah. Of course. I'll be out there if you need me." Jed  
hitches his thumb in the direction of the door and slowly leaves the  
women alone.

Dr. Nowak does a quick internal and concludes that the baby won't  
arrive for at least another hour or two. He excuses himself to go  
check on another patient, promising to return in a few minutes.

Abbey squeezes CJ's hand and holds her gaze.

"He's young."

"I was young when I first started practicing."

"He's too….pretty to be qualified, isn't he?"

Abbey grins. "When screening applicants to medical school, we  
don't generally discriminate against good looks."

"I'm just sayin'…"

"He's got a job in the best hospital in Los Angeles, I'm  
confident his credentials are exemplary. This isn't about him, this is  
you wanting your doctor."

CJ nods mutely, her eyes fixed on the fetal monitor. "I just want  
the familiarity. She went over everything with me. We had a plan if…if  
something went wrong. She understands me, my body, my baby."

Abbey nods and bends down to kiss CJ's sweaty forehead. " I know.  
But this guy'll take care of you just as well."

"He's can't be thirty years-old. How many babies could he  
possibly have delivered?

"Three hundred and forty-seven. That doesn't include the one I  
delivered an hour ago." Dr. Nowak struts into the room, Jed close  
behind him.

"I'm sorry, I…" CJ begins.

The doctor smiles and sits down on a chair beside the bed, on the  
side by the window. "It's okay. I get that a lot. And you're about to  
give birth, so you have the right to say whatever you want about me  
and question the quality of medical care you're getting. I know you  
want Dr. Terry, but I can assure you you're in good hands. I've got  
the best- trained doctors and nurses in the state in this building,  
standing by to deliver any care you need. I had the operating room  
prepped; I read Dr. Terry's note that the O.R. should be ready for a  
c-section."

Abbey gives CJ an I- told-you-so look.

Trying to ride-out a powerful contraction, CJ squeezes Abbey's  
hand and utters profanities. "Damnit! Where the hell is my  
husbaaaaaaannnnd!"

"He's gonna be another two hours, sweetie," Abbey divulges sadly.

"What if this precocious little bundle of joy presents herself  
before that? I need my husband. We were supposed to do this together.  
I need him to be here for the birth of his child." CJ sobs quietly,  
swiping at her eyes with the cool cloth Abbey uses to dab her forehead.

"I know it's hard, sweetheart. But Danny's getting here as fast  
as he can. I'm sure he's trying to bribe the pilot into flying the  
plane a little faster. I can tell you, to a husband there is nothing  
more important and spectacular as watching the birth of your first  
child. There's nothing more that he'd like than to be here right now,  
even more than you want him here." Jed tells her slowly, swallowing hard.

CJ wants to spit out a response, but she's too tired and hot and  
emotional, and deep down she knows Jed is right. This isn't Danny's fault.

Jed stands near the door and paces while Dr. Nowak does another  
internal.

"Well, it's almost that time," D. Nowak announces, his eyes  
trained on the fetal monitor.

Every ear in the room perks.

"You're nearly completely dilated. It's only going to be another  
fifteen, thirty minutes," Dr. Nowak tells them sympathetically. He's  
hoping the father shows up before the baby is born, but he can't  
control it anymore than CJ can.

"Then my timing is impeccable."A middle-aged, salt-and-pepper  
coloured hair woman breezes into the room, her white hospital frock  
flowing behind her.

"Dr. Terry!" CJ greets enthusiastically, uttering a sigh of relief.

"Thanks for holding the fort, Rob. I'll take over this patient.  
There's a woman in 207 that could use you, though." Dr. Terry  
practically pushes Dr. Nowak out of the way and sits in the twirling  
chair at the foot of the bed.

"Good luck with everything," Dr. Nowak smiles and waves.

"Thank you, Dr. Nowak," CJ calls just before another contraction  
hits hard.

"Okay, CJ, look at me. It's not gonna be long now. Keep inhaling  
and exhaling." Dr. Terry instructs the nurse to make sure the O.R. is  
ready. After another minute, she gives the orders to start the  
anesthetic in the I.V.

"Wait, Dr. Terry. Danny isn't here yet. I can't go in yet," CJ  
protests weakly, her breathing ragged, her body already limp with  
fatigue and a fine layer of sweat soaking her from head to foot.

Dr. Terry glances up and offers a sympathetic smile. "CJ, there's  
nothing I can do to prolong this that won't risk harming the baby. I'm  
sure Danny wouldn't compromise his child's health just to see its birth."

"Luckily I don't have to make that decision," Danny's raspy,  
strained voice calls from the doorway. Inhaling sharply with profound  
relief, Danny steadies himself with the doorknob. After running to the  
airport, pacing on the plane, running to baggage claim, running to the  
car and running across the hospital, Danny's legs ache and his heart  
is beating so fast he thinks it will pump right out of his chest.

"Danny!" CJ cries, using the little strength she has left.

Danny quickly crosses the room, flops into the seat that Abbey  
had vacated for him, and leans down to lift his wife's shoulders and  
hold her close. "Oh, baby, I'm so sorry I…"

"Shshs, it's okay. The important thing is that you're here now,"  
CJ coos, running a pale hand over his cheek. "I'm gonna pummel your  
ass when I get up enough energy."

Dr. Terry cracks a smile. "I hate to interrupt this moment, but  
someone's waiting to come into the world. CJ, we're gonna start the  
anesthetic."

The room becomes chaotic as the doctor bellows out orders. Dr.  
Terry and a nurse begin to wheel a dozing CJ down the hall toward the  
O.R. Danny, Abbey and Jed run behind the bed until they reach the end  
of the hall.

"Danny, wait. If something happens,"CJ reaches for Danny's hand  
when the nurses slow down.

Danny vigorously shakes his head. " Everything is gonna be fine."

"But if something happens, promise me you'll raise this  
baby," CJ whispers drowsily, but firmly.

Taken aback, Danny can only merely nod. Dr. Terry's voice breaks  
his reverie.

"You wanna come in, Danny? You better scrub up." Dr. Terry points  
to the box of gloves and masks outside the room. "I'm sorry, Mr.  
President, Dr. Bartlet, only Danny can come in."

Danny scrubs his hands and throws on a mask and pair of gloves  
before following the doctors and nurses into the O.R. He has to stand  
off to the side while the doctors do their work. After a couple  
chaotic moments, Dr. Terry pulls a blood-covered, squirming infant  
from an incision in CJ's lower abdomen. Dr. Terry motions for Danny  
to come to the side of bed, where she hands him a special pair of  
scissors to cut the umbilical cord.

"Is everything okay? Is she all right?" Danny wonders aloud,  
taking a spot behind CJ's head to get a better look at the little  
infant being swaddled by the nurses.

Dr. Terry smiles widely at Danny as she examines CJ. "She's a  
little small, but I counted ten fingers and ten toes."

Danny beams proudly. "What about CJ?" His eyes drift to his wife  
who lies in a drug-induced sleep.

"She'll be tired and sore for a while, but she'll recover," Dr.  
Terry assures him with conviction.

Danny is taken to a higher floor and asked to wait in a  
comfortable room for them to bring CJ. The baby is taken for  
examination and weighing, and then she will be put in the incubator to  
keep her warm and cozy. Jed and Abbey wait with Danny, trying to get  
him to calm down. But he's anxious to see his girls, and he can't stop  
pacing around the small room. A nurse wheels CJ's bed into the room  
and settles it across from the over-hanging television, next to the  
bathroom door. Danny moves to her side, seating himself in a chair on  
the window side of the bed. He whispers thank-yous and terms of  
endearment in her ear and smoothes her clammy hair out of her face.

"Danny?"

It's so faint he thinks he imagined CJ whispering his name. He  
caresses her cheek with his forefinger. "Claudia?"

"Danny? Where…"

"Shsh," Danny places a finger on her lips. "Everything's okay.  
You're gonna stay here and rest for a while. Our little girl is  
sleeping in an incubator downstairs."

"How do you feel, honey?" Abbey stands next to the bed, one the  
side closest to the door.

"Sore," CJ mutters, closing her eyes again.

"How are we feeling?" Dr. Terry breezes into the room, a pink  
bundle in arms.

"Tired, exhilarated…"

"I was actually asking Mom." Dr. Terry smiles warmly at Danny  
and approaches the side of the bed.

"I think she's still sore and sleepy from the sedative," Abbey  
answers for her.

"Too tired to hold her daughter? That's okay, we'll let Danny  
have a go and let you rest for a bit." Dr. Terry shifts the baby in  
her arms, who suddenly starts wailing.

"Come on, darling. You gotta be the first to hold her. And I  
can't wait much longer…" Danny gently runs his fingers across her  
eyelids until they flicker open.

"We don't have to do this now," Dr. Terry reminds CJ.

But CJ makes an effort to sit up and with Danny's help manages to  
settle in an upright position.

"Okay, I'm going to place her in your arms. She's only five  
pounds, so she isn't very heavy, but if you get tired or sore, just  
give her to someone else." Dr. Terry expertly transfers the sobbing  
infant into CJ's waiting arms.

Danny, perched on the side of the bed, looks on in awe. He  
doesn't think he's ever seen such a beautiful scene, and his heart is  
swelling with powerful emotions.

CJ just stares down at the tiny being in her arms, confusing  
feelings of love, nerves, terror and pride overwhelming her. She can  
hardly believe that only hours ago this tiny being had been tossing  
and turning inside her.

"She's so small. She feels…bigger inside, somehow…" CJ cracks a  
small smile, unable to take her eyes off the this wonderful,  
terrifying being.

"She's perfect," Danny proclaims in a soft tone, his arm securely  
around CJ's shoulder.

"I'm sorry, I'm hogging her. Here," CJ turns and moves her arms  
out so Danny can take the fussing child from her arms.

"You take as long as you need," Danny offers, but CJ simply  
shakes her head. Danny cautiously scoops the little girl into his  
arms and holds her close to his chest. Almost immediately, the baby  
quiets her noises into soft mewling.

"She must know who her daddy is," Jed remarks with a content,  
proud smile.

Abbey elbows him in the ribs, conveying with her eyes that that  
was not an appropriate thing to say at the time.

But Danny is oblivious. He's completely enamored with the child  
and is whispering promises of the future to her.

"Are you sure you don't want me to stay the night? Are you sure  
you don't want us to get you something to eat?" Abbey bends over the  
bed and kisses CJ's forehead.

"I'm fine, thanks." CJ forces a nod and smile. Danny had went out  
to get dinner (he skipped breakfast and didn't get any lunch because  
he was calling his family to tell them the good news. "But what if I  
can't get the baby to eat?"

CJ and Abbey had spent an hour trying to get Reese Jean Cregg  
Concannon to nurse, to no avail. Abbey had assured her that it was  
normal and that the little girl would eat when she was ready.

"Just have patience. If she hasn't taken the breast by the  
morning, we'll try extracting milk into a bottle," Abbey reiterates.

Jed and Abbey go back to CJ and Danny's house for the evening.  
Jed cooks dinner (with leftovers to take to the hospital the next day)  
and Abbey packs a suitcase with clothes for Danny and all the  
necessities the baby will need for her hospital stay. Around nine  
o'clock, the phone rings so Abbey gets up to answer it;It's Josh  
looking for CJ or Danny . After wishing Abbey a happy fourth of July,  
Josh gushes that Donna gave birth that afternoon and they have a  
beautiful little boy-Leo Noah Lyman. Abbey offers heartfelt  
congratulations and reveals to Josh that CJ had also given birth that  
day and tells him about Reese.

Meanwhile ,at the hospital, CJ tries one final time for the day  
to get Reese to nurse and, when the baby breaks into fitful tears, she  
hands Reese to Danny and gives up hope. Danny tries to comfort her,  
but CJ is tired and miserable and only wants to sleep. Dr. Terry,  
before ending her shift, asks the couple if they want the baby to stay  
in the room or the incubator for the night. Since CJ isn't having  
success feeding Reese, Danny asks Dr. Terry to put the baby in the  
incubator for the night (where she will be monitored constantly).

Danny's mother and sister, as well as CJ's brothers, arrive on  
the weekend to meet the newest member of their family. Jed and Abbey  
stay an extra week, CJ wanting her mother-figure close to help through  
the first couple days at home with a newborn.

Danny pads slowly across the hall, a laundry basket in his arm,  
and rests in the doorjamb to the master-bedroom. He stares at his wife  
lying in bed, their daughter nestling in her arms. His eyes light up  
at the sight.

"You look good like that," Danny exhales.

CJ glances up and smiles weakly. Since the second night at the  
hospital (the first night they started to watch their baby  
over-night), CJ and Danny hadn't gotten much sleep, Reese needing to  
eat every two hours and the process taking a half an hour to get her  
to drink enough to fill her. " She's finally asleep."

"Ah, so that's why the ringing in my ears finally ceased." Danny  
curls up next to CJ and kisses the top of her tangled hair. " You  
should lie down. She'll be up in two hours."

Sighing, CJ snuggles closer to Danny's firm body. "Danny, I don't  
know if we can do this. We're hot and tired and miserable and it's  
only been a week."

Danny uses a hand to rub circular patterns across CJ's shoulders  
and back."It won't always feel like this. Babies have no sleep pattern  
in the beginning, but it'll get better. Plus, you've started your mat  
leave, so it's not like either of us have to be up at seven."

"That's besides the point. I don't sleep because my child depends  
on me, and you don't sleep because you feel bad for leaving me alone  
to wake up with her in the night. This is a whole new thing. It's not  
just us anymore. We've got a child who needs us for everything. We'll  
never just be…just us." CJ shakes her head, holding back tears.

Danny stares into CJ's eyes, his hand resting on the side of her  
face. "No, we won't. There's three of us now, and we're in for big  
changes. But you know what, we're gonna get good at these new things."

Those familiar words bring a tiny smidgen of confidence and hope  
to her.

The end. One more short sequel and I'm calling it quits.


End file.
